NCJ Number
210566
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 20 Issue: 3 Dated: June 2005 Pages: 151-159
Date Published
June 2005
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study explored the relationship between trauma and violence and trauma as a predictor of future violent behavior, as measured by the Traumatic Events Questionnaire and the Conflict Tactics Scale.
Abstract
Research indicates that experiencing or witnessing violence can lead to traumatic symptoms and violent types of trauma can contribute to future perpetration of violent behaviors. This study examined the subjective experience of a wide array of physiological and psychological traumas as predictors of future violent behavior. In addition, the study sought to clarify which types of trauma contributed most to future perpetration of violence. The study sample consisted of 55 male and female students at a private graduate school in the Midwest. The sample reported at least 237 acts that were considered traumatic. The results of the study indicate that trauma, as a set, is predictive of future violent behavior. However, simply experiencing a traumatic event was not in and of itself predictive of future violent behavior. Only two types of trauma, being the victim of a violent crime and experiencing at least one other severely traumatic event were significant predictors of violent behavior. In addition, the findings suggest that as all forms of trauma were not predictive of violent behavior, it appears as though different types of trauma affect individuals in different ways. Tables, references